Money Transfer

Once you have opened a bank account in China you can use the following ways to transfer money onto your account. If you don't have a Chinese bank account you can use the Alipay Tour Pass function instead (see here for more info).

Automatic Teller Machine (ATM)

Top up your account with cash. Some ATMs also accept currencies from other countries. In your banking app you can then exchange currencies (subject to transfer fees).

Bank Transfer

Once you have opened a bank account in China, you can simply transfer money to it via international bank transfers. However, do not transfer money in RMB as Chinese banks do not accept "foreign" RMB but only foreign currences. Instead, transfer money in your domestic currency and once the money landed on your Chinese bank account you can use the Chinese banking app to exchange currencies (subject to transfer fees).

Wise (Recommended)

Wise allows for currency exchange without charging unreasonable exchange fees used by traditional banks. With Wise you can transfer money from your bank account to an Alipay account in minutes. However, the owner of the Alipay account must be a Chinese citizen.